Chickens help Orlando wing more appeal for creative class

The Orlando City Council has approved a test program to allow… (Jacob Langston, Orlando…)

8:42 p.m. EST, May 9, 2012|Beth Kassab, Local News Columnist

Buddy Dyer has always said he wanted to appeal to the "creative class."

Who knew that would mean a swanky performing arts center, a $1.2 billion commuter train — and a chicken in every backyard Williams-Sonoma coop. (The high-end retailer just rolled out a line of coops starting at $399.95 available in a rustic red or a sublime green.)

The Orlando mayor's support for a pilot program that will allow 25 residents to keep backyard chickens is a sign of changing cultural tastes. Young, educated professionals are no longer content with a Vespa and a golden retriever.

Today, chicken-mania is sweeping Orlando, and fresh-out-of-the-coop eggs are the new status symbols.

The day after Monday's city council vote, three people showed up at City Hall before it opened in hopes of securing one of the 25 spots. By noon, the list was full. By Wednesday afternoon, 39 people had signed up and will have a chance at a permit if one of the first 25 drops out.

Katie Wollam is one of them.

"I've been interested, but always heard chickens were outlawed in the city," said the graphic artist who works in Research Park and lives in College Park. "I just love chickens."

Conspicuous consumption may have dropped along with our 401k's during the recession, but conscientious consumption of food is on the rise.

People want to know where their food comes from. They are sickened by images in documentaries like Food Inc. that show pens filled with thousands of chickens covered in feces and some dying of illness.

In a small way, backyard chicken coops let consumers take matters into their own hands and out of the hands of Big Food.

And there's plenty to suggest urban homesteading is more than a passing fad in some families.

"It's a permanent shift, at least, on our part it is," said Paul Van Wormer, who wants his own urban chickens.

There's something special, he said, about fresh eggs.

"I grew up on a farm, I know what it's like to have farm-fresh eggs," he said. "It's tough to beat that even if you buy the expensive organic eggs."

More than 100 cities across the country allow urban chickens, including places known for their appeal to the Creative Class. Places like San Jose and Los Altos, as well as Burlington, Vt., New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

The fresh and local food movement goes beyond the henhouse.

Just look at what other local cities are doing. Winter Garden is allowing vacant city property to be used for farming to encourage a boutique food industry and more local produce at its wildly popular weekly farmer's market.

Companies that specialize in the delivery of organic produce to people's doorsteps are seeing interest pick up.

"We're starting to grow," said David Strauss, owner of Orlando Organics.

The produce delivery business is increasing beyond the stereotypical urban Bohemians. Suburban golf club neighborhoods such as Eastwood and Tuscawilla are filled with loyal customers.

On Wednesday morning Strauss walked into his office to a voice mail with an unusual request.

"It was a person asking if we sold egg-laying hens," Strauss said. "I've never gotten a message like that before in 10 years."

Another sign of chicken-mania.

City Commissioners like Tony Ortiz, who opted against the pilot in his district, will eventually see that chicken coops — and more — are the latest carrots in the game of attracting the young professionals who have the disposable income to help a city grow jobs and cachet.

Beekeeping anyone?

As part of its new agrarian line, Williams-Sonoma also offers a backyard beehive starter kit for $499.95.

Bees not included.

Note: A previous version of this column left unclear Orlando Commissioner Tony Ortiz's stance on a pilot program to allow backyard chickens. He opted out of the program for his district, but voted for the pilot program. bkassab@tribune.com or 407-420-5448